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Cannot access or add Buddies in Messages

I am unable to view my existing Buddies (like I can on my iMac) from my MacBook Pro. I am signed in to my mac account from Messages, but when I go to my Buddies list, it pulls up a blank list called "Bonjour List". In my preferences, I have Bonjour and my Mac account listed. When removing Bonjour from the list, I no longer have access to a Buddies list.


I'm not sure that the Bonjour account is even necessary, but when I am using Messages via my Mac account, I have no options for adding or viewing existing Buddies.


Could someone please help me figure out the errors of my ways?


Thanks!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)

Posted on Feb 13, 2013 8:09 AM

Reply
15 replies

Feb 13, 2013 2:23 PM in response to Joe Otoole

HI,


When you run Messages for the first time it prompts you to create an iMessages account ("Registrering" your Apple ID for iMessages)

By default everyone gets a Bonjour account and it is Disabled by Default.


If you do not have an AIM, Jabber or Yahoo account listed then the "Buddies" option in the Window Menu will not show when the Bonjour Account is Off.


By "Mac Account" do you mean your iMessages account ?


Bonjour is LAN only Mac to Mac Chats (it automatically broadcasts your Contacts My Card Name as the Buddy name in other people's list).


By default the Windows Menu > Buddies is a combined list of all Non iMessages Accounts that are logged in.

You can unlink them in the General Section of the Preferences.

They then get listed in the Window Menu Individually like they were in iChat


User uploaded file
10:23 PM Wednesday; February 13, 2013

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Feb 14, 2013 12:06 PM in response to Joe Otoole

Hi,


On the iMac in Messages > Preferences > Accounts there will be at least 3 accounts

The iMessages Account

The Bonjour Account (That may or may not be active)

and another Account which may be AIM, Jabber or Yahoo based.


You are telling me on the MacBook Pro that there are only two accounts (Or if there are more, they are Not Logged in)


The default in Messages is to NOT show the Buddy or Buddies Lists.

You can make them appear by using the Windows Menu > Buddies (or CMD + 1)

IF you go to Messages > Preferences > General Section and Untick the "Gather all accounts into one list" then the Buddy lists (those that are Logged in) will appear separately.



Example Picture of Window Menu , One Buddy list and the General Section of the Preferences

User uploaded file



User uploaded file
8:06 PM Thursday; February 14, 2013

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apr 17, 2013 12:01 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Ralph,

I am also trying to create a Buddies list, but I am unable to create even one buddy, let alone a list of them. 🙂 All items under Buddies are greyed-out except for "Send File". In Messages preferences under Accounts, I have Bonjour and iMessages listed. I have tried unticking and ticking "Gather all accounts into one list", but it doesn't seem to make any difference I can chat with others using iMessages, but I am unable to make anyone a Buddy in iMessages or iin my Contacts. Any advice or suggestions on what I need to do? Thanks for your expertise.

Jeff

Apr 17, 2013 1:07 PM in response to Jeffrey Andrews

Hi,


Short Version

If you have only Bonjour and iMessages listed then make sure the Bonjour one is Enabled.

You will then be able to use the Windows Menu to see Buddies

However you cannot add Buddies to either Account:-

a) iMessages does not have a Buddy List

b) Bonjour finds Buddies using iChat or Messages on your LAN automatically and adds them to the List.



Long version

Messages and iChat can join the AIM service and various Jabber servers (that in turn can be internetlinked) and at iChat 6 can also join Yahoo.


It is these three account types that support/create Buddy Lists within the app.


Adding AIM, Jabber or Yahoo

In Messages this is in the Messages Menu > Preferences > Accounts and clicking/pressing the + icon below the list.

This opens a new Pane where the top item is a drop down listing AIM then a line, followed by Google and Jabber and another line then Yahoo.


So....

iMessages account in the list is created on first run when you are prompted to add an Apple ID for iMessages uses.

Bonjour is always there for everyone.


AIM, Jabber, Yahoo and Bonjour Accounts have Buddy lists.

You cannot add Buddies to the Bonjour Buddy list as these are found automatically.

Other Macs on your LAN can be found in any Finder Window under Shares by Computer Name.

Messages/Bonjour find other Users on those Macs that are using iChat or Messages with the Bonjour account Enabled.


By Default the Bonjour account is NOT enabled in the Messages > Preferences > Accounts

This in turn means it will not show up in the Windows Menu under "Buddies"


However having a multitude of AIM, Jabber and Yahoo Accounts means the "Buddies" item will appear as in this pic.


User uploaded file



The Window Menu lists just "Messages" for the Chat/Interface window and "Buddies" for a combined List.


Unlinking the Accounts in the General section allows the Buddy Lists to be listed separately

User uploaded file

I have more accounts then the Keystroke allocation can deal with.

I have shown two Buddy Lists only (Bonjour and one of my AIM ones) with the Preferences at the Bonjour pane in the background.


You will notice the Bonjour Buddy List does not have a + icon lower left.

You cannot Add Buddies (Or Groups) as they are found by the Bonjour process for you. (it adds their Names as they are listed in their Address Book/Contacts app > My Card (You are shown as your Name in your My Card to your Bonjour Buddies).


Therefore to Add Buddies you need either an AIM, Jabber or Yahoo Account (Screen Name or ID you can use with one of these services).


Apple IDs issued by Apple ending in @mac.com, @me.com or @icloud.com are also valid AIM Screen Names (Apple has an Agreement with AIM that they will be recognised).

This may mean your Apple ID is listed for iMessages and then used in the Add Accunt pane as an AIM name.


Google run a Jabber server for Google Mail IDs.

As most Jabber Servers list the server name as the end part of an ID (jabberusername@jabberservername.com becomes jabberservername.com) Google have an issue as they use both @googlemail.com and @gmail.com in their Mail Account IDs.

As a consequence they list another server (talk.google.com) to get around this which leads to the variant split in adding Account.


This means you may need to gain an ID or Screen Name.

This will depend on the Buddies you intend to have.

Essentially it is AIM to AIM and Jabber to Jabber and Yahoo to Yahoo.


As I have said you may already have an valid AIM name in the type of Apple ID you have.

You may have Jabber ID as you have Google Mail Account (you do need to enable "Talk: on your Google Settings)

Facebook also run a Jabber server (you need to enable "Chat" on your account's settings)


I hope this helps






User uploaded file
9:07 PM Wednesday; April 17, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apr 17, 2013 2:38 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

First of all, thank you very, very much for not only your reply, but for the details in your response. Some background, my journey for creating a Buddies list started innocently enough after reading an article on how to create remote Keynote presentations via iMessages. The first step in process was simply to send an invite to a video chat to one of my "Buddies". But that's as far as I got because I was unable to find or even create Buddies.


I was under the impression that this might be a useful tool, but after the troubles in creating Buddies, I'm thinking my Buddies problem might be an issue for my recipient, too. And if I want to share presentation with someone and they have to go through a lot of steps, it defeats the "convenience" of sharing a presentation using iMessages.


I also find it odd that Apple would require use of an outside account like Google, Yahoo, or AIM to create Buddies. But even after I added a Google account in iMessages, nothing seems to have changed. Is this because none of my contacts are on Google Talk? I don't want to take anymore of your valuable time, but again, thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciate it.

Jeff

Apr 18, 2013 12:36 PM in response to Jeffrey Andrews

HI,


Yes.

Your Buddies have to be on the same service that you use (or you have to be on the same service as them)


How did we get here ?

At one time there was no app for any sort of Messaging from Apple.

People could use AIM for Mac (Always behind in development compared to the Windows version), MSN for Mac (similar issues particularly when Video was introduced) or Yahoo for Mac (even now it is not out of Beta 3 where it has been for years)


Apple then created iChat as an AIM client.

Two main reasons for this. MSN Is owned by Microsoft (d'oh) and Yahoo is not big enough.

Apple made an agreement with AIM that Apple IDs issued by Apple would be recognised as AIM valid Screen Names.

These now include @mac.com @me.com and @icloud.com IDs.


iChat (vers 1) only have two Buddy Lists. The "AIM" one and the Bonjour (was then called Rendezvous) which could be enabled.

iChat 2 gave us Video and Audio Chats

iChat 3 introduced Jabber accounts. These include Google Talk as well as many others.

iChat 4 adds the ability to login many AIM and Jabber Accounts at the same time.

Up until this point you could only have one AIM and one Jabber account logged in at the same time.


iChat 5 adds nothing on the account ability front.

iChat 6 in Lion add the Yahoo option (Text Only using Yahoo Only names - the regular Yahoo for Mac app can use other IDs that Yahoo accept).


Mountain Lion shoehorns the iOS Messages app (really only iMessage) into iChat and changes the name.

However it is still numbered as version 7

However the whole interface set is changed with the push towards the iMessages account being the favoured option.

The iMessages account though does not use a Buddy list and also does not have a Favourites for putting in regular Contacts like FaceTime can.

It seems that people interpret the blurb as meaning iMessages will join every other service together in a one window bonanza. However it is many services under one app rather than under one Account.


Separate from this there are also ways that some of the major IM services are changing with regard to adding Buddies from different services.

Yahoo and MSN have an agreement that allows MSN names to be used over the Yahoo service and adding MSN Buddies to your Yahoo list.


Google and Facebook will let you add AIM Buddies to Google and Facebook Lists and AIM advertises Adding Google and Facebook Buddies (which essentially mean All Jabber Buddies) to their Buddy lists.


However this can just add to the learning curve you are already on.


I hope this helps.



User uploaded file
8:36 PM Thursday; April 18, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apr 18, 2013 2:01 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Thank you for the history on Apple's messaging services. Up until now, I've been pretty happy how my iphone, ipad, and imac share messages/images simulataneously using iMessages. So when I read article about about sharing Keynote presentations it seemed like it would be a simple addition to this seamless sharing. But as you stated, I'm now on a long learning curve which only feels like it's getting longer. It is so strange for iMessages to have this prominient feature called Buddies, but then make it unuable with your Apple ID. Maybe a future version will make this happen, but for now, sharing a presentation with Buddies will have to wait.


Hower, kudos to you for your patience and level of detail in responsding to my posts. Impressive and most appreciated. Thank you again.

Apr 18, 2013 2:13 PM in response to Jeffrey Andrews

Hi,


If your Apple ID was issued by Apple (Endings with @mac.com, @me.com and @icloud.com) are also Valid AIM Screen Names under and Agreement Apple have with AIM


In Messages > Preferences > Accounts you have the list of current accounts (iMessages, Bonjour that everyone gets and in your case a Google account I think)

At the bottom is th + icon fro adding more accounts

In the new Pane the top item is a drop down listing the options of AIM, Google and Jabber then Yahoo

You can use the AIM option and list your Apple ID if it conforms to those listed above.



User uploaded file
10:13 PM Thursday; April 18, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apr 18, 2013 2:30 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I have Bonjour, iMessages, and Google Talk under my accounts. My Apple ID uses my home ISP email address and I also have my gmail as an additional account. I used to use a @me.com, but never migrated to iCloud when mobileme shut down. Since I have a work, home, and gmail email accounts I didn't see the need for yet another email account---my relatives think it's crazy why I have more than one email now. 🙂. Anyway, I did try using my old @me.com address, but old password didn't work. My understanding is that @me.com changed to @mac.com, and then @icloud.com, but username remained the same.

Apr 19, 2013 12:37 PM in response to Jeffrey Andrews

Hi,


I was wondering about that.


There was the .Mac Service first that issued @mac.com names.

This could also be a Trial account for 60 days. After this the email part stopped but the name could continue as an iChat/AIM Name.


Then came MobileMe with it's @me.com.

The differences were that a Trial account dead ended once you decided not to go ahead and pay. (you had to actively cancel or you were charged).

At that time you could "link" an existing @mac.com to a (then) new @me.com accounts for email purposes.

People could use either name and you would get the Mail.

As far as using the names with AIM was concerned you had two separate but Valid AIM Screen Names that happened to use the same password.


Also during this period Apple kept the @mac.com registration Page open as an "iChat Name" page.

Because of the nature of the @mac.com name before all were/are still valid as AIM Screen names.

I have several @mac.com names I have created as Test Accounts/Names for iChat.


At the Mobile Me to iCloud change-over you could seem to create an iCloud version of the @me.com ID

It seemed (I stress Seemed) that you were in fact creating a second ID. At the Apple end it did appear that the ID was on both the me.com server and the iCloud server once you had done this.


For some people it gives them 3 emails possibly linked at Apple by the time the @iCloud.com names got issued later.


My ISP email is the one I linked to iCloud which gave me an @me.com address as well

Later Apple said they were giving me an @icloud.com one as well. (so I have two email address linked at Apple automatically in this case that can both act as separate Valid AIM Screen Names.)


To be clear on this.

Since linking my everyday Apple ID to iCloud I have since been given an @me.com and later an @icloud.com email address from Apple.

I can login to my iCloud page with any other the Names. When I do so I use the same password.

When I get prompted by one to change the password and I change then all the passwords change.


The bit I was wondering was what happens if you try to link an old and not "converted" at the time @me.com Account into an iCloud one now that the change period was well and truly over.


If you have an @mac.com ID then try logging in here

https://settings.aim.com/

This page allows @mac.com names to login.


Apple Changed the way AIM can see the Passwords for iCloud (Apple Issued) names.

This means in iChat 6 (Lion) and Messages the apps login in to Apple as well as AIM.

This Dual Login then allows AIM to "see" the password.

It does mean that newer iCloud @me.com and @icloud.com ID can not be used in earlier version or iChat (5 and lower) or log in via that Settings page.


I can appreciate that this is yet more info to take in and trying to unravel which IDs are linked via iCloud and when they will work properly as AIM Screen Names will take some time to sort.





User uploaded file
8:37 PM Friday; April 19, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apr 20, 2013 8:09 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Another update. I was able to login to AIM link you provided using my @mac emailand then created an AIM account with it in iMessages. But, I still don't have the option to create a Buddy. Also, when I login to my Apple ID using this @mac address, I have @me.com (same username) as alternate Apple ID. Plus I see same username with @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com listed as alternates below. This just gets muddier and muddier.


For example, I was looking at my iPhone and wanted to sync Notes across all my devices---just like my contacts and calendar. But when I mover slider to ON it asks for me to create an icloud account email---why can't I just use the Apple ID that syncs all my devices with calendar and contacts? Moreover, why can't I use my exisiting icloud account? I'm worried now that if I ever slide my Calendars slider to OFF even for a second, it'll want me to create an icloud account like Notes.


I aplogize for this topic for going off thread. iMessages has been working great without Buddies, so I'm just going to drop my purssuit of it. Especially if I'd have to walk friends and families into setting-up Buddies on their accounts. Besides, I haven't taken a survey, but I'd guess most people I know don't use Buddies either. Not sure what advantages it offers in terms of day-to-day chats.


Right now, I'm wondering if I should activate an iCloud account. I'd like to use my exisiting, but not sure if that's an option especially since it is a separate AppleID. I've read online that Apple ID should be used for iTunes and iCloud for suncing in icloud---ie contacts, calendars, and notes. But I'm worried of making a change that I'll regret, like "Oh, no, what happened to all my contacts?!" I guess I'm at the, "if it's not broken, don't fix it" stage and will everything as-is until there's a problem. Maybe Apple will let me merge Apple ID accounts one day, but this doesn't sound likely. Thanks for all your expert feedback, allthough confusing, it's been interesting.

Apr 20, 2013 1:55 PM in response to Jeffrey Andrews

Hi,


Another update. I was able to login to AIM link you provided using my @mac emailand then created an AIM account with it in iMessages. But, I still don't have the option to create a Buddy. Also, when I login to my Apple ID using this @mac address, I have @me.com (same username) as alternate Apple ID. Plus I see same username with @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com listed as alternates below. This just gets muddier and muddier.


Logging in the Apple ID page for me does show the @me.com address but only becuase I added it.

At one time the Apple Support Community software allowed you to list an Alternative email.

At that time I listed a Gmail one.


When I Linked my Apple ID to iCloud the Communities defaulted to the Original Apple ID (I was trying to stop using the actual email as it is a dial up account)


I found a Profile page that allowed me to edit the email used by the Communities to send me Alerts of new posts.

This placed the @me.com Address on the Apple ID page


I will point out I was not linking an @mac.com account to iCloud which may have gotten a different response.


The Notes thing I cannot help with as I don't use the app on the Mac.

My phone already has the Slider On.

Enabling my main AIM account in System Preferences > Mail, Calendars and Contacts does not seem to produce any result for me.


What can an AIM or Jabber account do that iMesages can't ?

The iMessages account is Text Only.

When you see the Video icon top right in a conversation it will invoke the FaceTime App.


An AIM/Jabber or Bonjour Buddy lists can connect to Buddies via Text, Video, Audio Only and Screen Sharing.


User uploaded file


In Addition to this there are iChat Theatre features that can be used with a Video chat to share pics, Slide Shows, Keynote or Powerpoint presentations, other files such as Movies as active "live Shows".


A Video Chat can be up to 4 people including yourself

An Audio chat can be 10 people.

Screen Sharing is only Mac to Mac and one person at a time.


Here is a page on iChat 4 that still holds true (except I gave up smoking)


On top of that there are Video effects that add Effects or Backdrops to your Video chats.




User uploaded file
9:55 PM Saturday; April 20, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apr 20, 2013 3:42 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Buddies does seem to a much better interface due to all the options that are available. I checked my Buddies list and saw greyed-out names of my wife and two sons. These were accounts from a long tiime ago when my sons were younger and AIM was the defacto chat interface--and a way for mom and dad to try and communicate via AIM. I think when iChat and then iMessages became the norm, AIM was all but forgotten by my sons.


I appreciate all of your feedback, it has been very helpful to me in making a decsion on AIM. For now, I'm going to stick with iMessages using AppleID even though AIM has more robust features. The issue for me is that these great AIM features won't be of much use unless my coontacts have AIM accounts. Hopefully, iMessages will eventually offer some of these AIM features in later revisions.


Again, thank you very much. You are an iinvaluable resource for the Apple Support discussions.

Cannot access or add Buddies in Messages

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